Regular passenger rail traffic on the Baku–Tbilisi–Baku route resumed on May 26, restoring direct train travel between the two capitals after a long suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Azerbaijan’s land borders were closed.
The first Baku–Tbilisi train departed at 23:10 on May 26 and arrived in Tbilisi at 08:41 the following day. The return Tbilisi–Baku service left at 21:00 and arrived in Baku at 06:24.
Azerbaijan Railways says demand for the service is high, with more than 70% of the 8,400 available tickets sold ahead of the launch, and additional carriages added to meet demand. The service is operated using Stadler passenger trains purchased by Azerbaijan Railways in previous years.
Ticket prices for the full route are set at 81 manats (about 127 GEL), up from around 24.54 manats roughly six years ago. Shorter segments from Azerbaijani stations closer to the border start from 51 manats.
The train stops at Tbilisi and Gardabani in Georgia, and at Baku Railway Station, Bilajari, Yevlakh, Ganja, Aghstafa and Boyuk Kasik in Azerbaijan.
